Southern Pacific Railroad Steam Locomotive #2521

Southern Pacific No. 2521 is the steam locomotive on display at Pivot Point Interpretive Plaza in Yuma. Here’s its story:

Build and type. No. 2521 is a class C-9 2-8-0 “Consolidation” built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It left the factory in August 1907 and entered SP service the following year. It was an oil burner: its tender originally carried 7,000 gallons of water and 2,940 gallons of oil.

Upgrades. SP began superheating the C-9 class in 1922. The rebuilt engines got Walschaert valve gear, grew to 216,700 pounds, and were paired with a larger tender holding 9,000 gallons of water and 3,353 gallons of oil.

Service. No. 2521 worked as a main-line hauler in the Yuma area for more than forty years, until diesels replaced steam. According to its marker, it is 79 feet long, weighs more than 194 tons with its tender, and could haul 35 loaded boxcars at up to 40 mph. No. 2521 traveled an estimated 2.5 million miles during its operating time.

Retirement and display. Southern Pacific donated the locomotive to the City of Yuma in April 1957. It was first displayed at what is now Colorado River State Historic Park, then moved to its current spot beside the Pivot Point Conference Center in June 2008. It now stands on the site where the first train entered Arizona in 1877.